20/12/16 James 5:7-8

[Chris]

James 5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

[Chris]

What does James 5:7 mean when referring to early and latter rain?
 
Early and later rain is mentioned in the Old Testament scriptures as a physical event e.g. rain. The context of early and latter rain is mentioned and was applicable
to the promised land, which the Israelites were to inhabit. Deuteronomy 11 speaks of early and latter rain where if the Israelites followed God's commandments
they would receive early and later rain, which would produce abundant crops and harvest; likewise if the Israelites turned away from God  they would receive no rain.
 
How does this early and latter rain apply to New Testament scriptures and gentiles?
 Hosea 6:3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter
and former rain to the earth.
 
Hosea 6:3 shows how God will come to us like rain, like the latter and former rain. How is this possible? As we know Jesus promised the helper/Holy Spirit would
come after he departed. The helper/Holy Spirit came just as Jesus said, this occurred at Pentecost (Acts 2) this event showed the presence of  rain/Holy Spirit, or the
start to poring out spirit, or in other words this was the start of the growing season where the seed was planted ready to receive rain.
 
From the initial seed that was planted by Jesus; then seed planted by the Apostles, to those who received seed in their heart received rain/Holy Spirit to produced
a crop, where from this crop produced a Harvest, and from this crop more seed was scattered for the rain/Holy Spirit to make grow.
 
We can see by applying the later rain and former rain to growth of seed, where the spirit comes to the seed that is planted in our heart, to then cause growth, then
as we grow and look like we are wheat we receive latter rain, which finishes our growth, completing the works the spirit forms in us, we have become matured wheat.
 
Early rain and latter rain has also been interpreted as the poring out of spirit at the beginning of Christianity, which is the early rain, then in the last days the latter rain;
this idea seemed to develop around the 1850s-1946. In recent times as most people can see that world events are developing into end days the idea of receiving a boost
of Holy Spirit described as latter rain is being preached by some. If this is the case then it would mean the growing duration from seed to Harvest has been
2000 years and that there has been no Harvest over the past 2000 years.  
  
Matthew 9:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness
and every disease among the people.  36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered,
like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the
harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
 
We can see by the context of what Jesus said in Matthew 9 that the Harvest was underway, where the seeds were being planted by the teaching and preaching
of the kingdom. The context is that those who believed had no place, as they were scattered, then Jesus shows the context of the harvest, which is to collect those
who believe into one place where they could be cared for, or in other words the Harvest is brought into the Churches. 
 
Therefore what looks like wheat comes in to be processed to reveal the fruit/wheat. Based on this shows the early rain and latter rain takes place in the process
of our individual journey, from seed, growing, to the valuable fruit/grain.       
 
Mark 4:26  And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed
should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
 
Mark 4:26-29 shows how the earth has been scattered with God's seed/God's Word, and if the seed receives rain, and if the seed begins to grow because of the rain,
and if growth takes root in the heart to produce signs that we are growing as wheat; and then grow to the full grain head, the grain then ripens/finishes, the Harvest
has come and is reaped. Again showing how we all receive early rain and latter rain, as a crop needs to receive early rain to start, and latter rain to finish to produce
a plentiful Harvest, showing the Harvest is a continuing process from generation to generation until the final Harvest, where there is no wheat left in the field,
or in other words until the  falling away.      

[EdwinGen]

Hosea 6:3 shows how God will come to us like rain, like the latter and former rain. How is this possible? As we know Jesus promised the helper/Holy Spirit would come after he departed. The helper/Holy Spirit came just as Jesus said, this occurred at Pentecost (Acts 2) this event showed the presence of x4 labs rain/Holy Spirit, or the start to poring out spirit, or in other words this was the start of the growing season where the seed was planted ready to receive rain.

[Chris]

Hey EdWinGen, Welcome!  and thanks for posting.
 
It would be good if you could expand on what you have posted so we can discuss further.